Ana López-Casero Beltrán, president of ARTE, and Laureano Turienzo, organizing president of ExpoRetail Iberoamérica, have signed the agreement
The Spanish Textile Retail Association ARTE and ExpoRetail sign an agreement
Historic Agreement Establishes Collaboration for Spain’s Largest Retail Gathering, Connecting Over 4,000 Professionals Across 25 Countries
MADRID, SPAIN — The Spanish Textile Retail Association (ARTE) and ExpoRetail Iberoamérica have officially signed a landmark collaboration agreement to jointly host the largest Ibero-American retail event in history. This strategic alliance, finalized by the president of ARTE, Ana López-Casero Beltrán, and the organizing president of the fair, Laureano Turienzo, establishes a robust cooperative framework aimed at driving professional participation and maximizing institutional visibility. Scheduled to take place in Hall 5 of IFEMA Madrid on June 17 and 18, 2026, the unprecedented gathering is poised to transform the Spanish capital into the definitive global epicenter of the retail sector, marking the first time an event of this immense scale and nature has been celebrated in the history of Spain.
The upcoming trade show represents a massive mobilization of corporate leaders, industry innovators, and market specialists, anticipating an attendance of more than 4,000 retail professionals in person. The expansive exhibition floor will feature 110 international exhibitors and gather prominent retail authorities from more than 25 countries, underscoring the increasingly globalized and competitive environment in which the modern industry operates. Adding substantial intellectual depth to the event, nearly 200 renowned national and international speakers will take the stage to address the complex operational shifts shaping the market. In a highly anticipated expansion of the event program, the gathering will also host the inaugural edition of the prestigious Retail Awards, which will be celebrated in a spectacular evening ceremony at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Under the specific terms of the newly established agreement, members of ARTE will receive exclusive commercial advantages designed to enhance their institutional presence and market reach. The association will be granted a designated, specialized stand space directly on the trade show floor, serving as a dedicated hub for its members to network and showcase their retail models. In turn, ARTE has committed to actively promoting ExpoRetail Iberoamérica 2026 across its entire corporate network, leveraging its official, high-impact communication channels to maximize sector visibility and ensure robust participation from Spain’s premier fashion and textile merchants.
The collaboration highlights the extraordinary economic weight of the fashion trade, which stands as a critical pillar of the national economy. The retail sector accounts for approximately 1.7 percent of Spain’s total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and is directly responsible for generating over 340,000 jobs, highlighting its profound economic and social impact. According to Ana López-Casero, this partnership provides a vital platform to strengthen the visibility of the fashion retail sector within a key space dedicated to constructive dialogue, operational innovation, and the generation of fresh opportunities. She notes that the trade show serves as an essential meeting point that fosters deep collaboration among diverse stakeholders, generates vital new commercial synergies, and helps reinforce the market position of fashion retailers in a rapidly changing international landscape.
“ExpoRetail Iberoamérica is a leading platform for promoting knowledge, anticipating market trends, and working collectively to address the major structural challenges shaping the future of retail,” stated Ana López-Casero Beltrán. “Many Spanish retailers act as true ambassadors of the Spain brand, contributing significantly to projecting a dynamic, innovative retail model with an exceptional capacity to adapt to the international market.”
Echoing these sentiments, organizing president Laureano Turienzo emphasizes that the enthusiastic backing of this premier business association acts as a powerful megaphone to reinforce the global positioning of retail, with a special emphasis on celebrating the innovation of Spanish enterprises. Turienzo asserts that the historic scale of this gathering will firmly establish Madrid as the world capital of the retail sector during its presentation. The event has already attracted an extraordinary tier of participants, drawing the active involvement of chief executive officers and managing directors from a vast array of influential global corporations, including household market leaders, technology giants, and specialized conglomerates such as Walmart, Mango, Eroski, Uvesco, Primor, Ikea, MediaMarkt, Old Navy, Chedraui, Primark, McDonald’s, Repsol, Leroy Merlin, Grupo Dia, NASA, Meta, Alibaba, and Ametller.
The immense strength of the participating retail network is further reflected in the elite membership of the Spanish Textile Retail Association itself, which unifies the country’s most powerful corporate groups and global brands. The association is comprised of major industry heavyweights including Inditex, which operates iconic global concepts such as Zara, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Stradivarius, Oysho, and Zara Home, alongside the multi-brand powerhouse Tendam, which manages Women’secret, Springfield, Cortefiel, Pedro del Hierro, Hoss Intropia, Slowlove, High Spirits, Dash and Stars, OOTO, HI&BYE, and Fifty. The collective strength of ARTE also draws from global retail leaders and specialized fashion labels including AWWG—encompassing Pepe Jeans London, Hackett, and Façonnable—as well as Encuentro Modas with its Encuentro and Öbu chains, Hugo Boss, H&M, Iberian Sports Retail Group featuring JD, Sport Zone, and Sprinter, Kiabi, Mango, Mayoral with its distinct Boston and Hug & Clau banners, Parfois, Pepco, Primark, Punt Roma, Uniqlo, and Zeeman, all combining forces to build a highly progressive future for global commerce.
About the Spanish Textile Retail Association (ARTE):
The Spanish Textile Retail Association (ARTE) represents the leading commercial brands and corporate groups in the textile and fashion retail sector in Spain. Gathering the industry’s most prominent national and international retailers, ARTE works to promote the economic growth, sustainability, and global competitiveness of the fashion trade, supporting a sector that contributes 1.7% of Spain’s GDP and employs over 340,000 individuals.
